‘Safe again’

Published: Sunday, January 6, 2013 at 11:58 a.m.

Last Modified: Sunday, January 6, 2013 at 11:58 a.m.

Kathy Ziprik is president of the Mills Pointe homeowners association in Mills River, and on a recent morning she received an email from a concerned resident who had seen a silver SUV slowly driving through the neighborhood for several days, and it looked suspicious. “They called the county sheriff and asked me to share the details with other residents, so I immediately sent out a note advising folks to be on the watch, especially this time of year, for cars that shouldn’t be in the neighborhood, in particular this silver SUV. Instantly others contacted me saying they had seen the same silver SUV,” reports Ms. Ziprik. “Minutes later I received a call from another resident. He and his wife have a silver SUV, and they’ve been driving it throughout the neighborhood every day to help get their new dog to overcome its car-sickness. Each day the wife would drive around slowly while the husband gave ice cream to the dog in the back of the car. And it’s working. The dog is getting used to the car, and the neighborhood is safe again!”

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‘GET THE VACCINE’: Fear of getting that nasty strain of flu widespread in North Carolina prompted April Drake of East Flat Rock to get the vaccine for the first time. “I’m 31, and never in my life have I had the flu, but this flu going around now had me so scared,” she says. “My son and husband get the flu vaccine every year, but this is the big scare. People, get the vaccine. People are sick and out of work, the kids are sick and it’s really laying them out. Don’t put off getting the shot.”

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‘NEED TO WORK TOGETHER’: Marie Souther of Hendersonville is hoping the new year will bring prosperity to people who have been hurting financially for many years. “I hope that everyone is taken care of financially. I just hope the economy will get better and people will find jobs and keep their houses,” she says. “The president is going to have to make some changes, but they’re already talking about a tax increase. It’s easy for the president because he’s not one of us. And members of Congress need to work together. A lot of the bills they work on are minor stuff. There are some major issues they need to tackle.”

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QUIPS A WAG: “How is it one careless match can start a forest fire, but it takes a whole box to start a campfire?”

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‘HOLD ON THERE’: Helen refused to grow old gracefully, so she went to the mall and bought some expensive cosmetics that came with a guarantee to make her look years younger. After a few mornings of applying the miracle products, she asked her husband, “Darling, if you didn’t know me, how old would you say I am?” The hubby looked her over carefully and said, “Looking at your skin, I would say 20. According to your hair, maybe 18. And based on your figure, I would say around 23.” “Oh, you are a flatterer, for sure,” gushed Helen. “Hold on there, sweetheart,” he shot back. “I haven’t added them up!”

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LAST BUT NOT LEAST: Let’s recycle those Christmas cards by sending them to St. Jude’s Ranch for Children. The recycled cards will be sold to help continue work for abused, abandoned and neglected children. Send your cards to St. Jude’s Ranch for Children, Recycled Card Program, 100 St. Jude’s St., Boulder City, NV, 89005. All types of greeting cards, with the exception of those made by Hallmark, Disney and American Greetings, are used for the project. The St. Jude’s recycled card project also needs birthday and thank-you cards. You can order recycled cards from St. Jude’s either by phone at 877-977-7572 or by mail at St. Jude’s Ranch for Children, ATTN: Donor Office, P.O. Box 60100, Boulder City, NV, 89006-0100. Cards are sold in packets of 10 for $10 and are available in the following categories: general Christmas, religious Christmas, Easter, birthday, thank-you and all-occasion greeting cards.

<p>Kathy Ziprik is president of the Mills Pointe homeowners association in Mills River, and on a recent morning she received an email from a concerned resident who had seen a silver SUV slowly driving through the neighborhood for several days, and it looked suspicious. “They called the county sheriff and asked me to share the details with other residents, so I immediately sent out a note advising folks to be on the watch, especially this time of year, for cars that shouldn't be in the neighborhood, in particular this silver SUV. Instantly others contacted me saying they had seen the same silver SUV,” reports Ms. Ziprik. “Minutes later I received a call from another resident. He and his wife have a silver SUV, and they've been driving it throughout the neighborhood every day to help get their new dog to overcome its car-sickness. Each day the wife would drive around slowly while the husband gave ice cream to the dog in the back of the car. And it's working. The dog is getting used to the car, and the neighborhood is safe again!” </p><p>◆ </p><p>'GET THE VACCINE': Fear of getting that nasty strain of flu widespread in North Carolina prompted April Drake of East Flat Rock to get the vaccine for the first time. “I'm 31, and never in my life have I had the flu, but this flu going around now had me so scared,” she says. “My son and husband get the flu vaccine every year, but this is the big scare. People, get the vaccine. People are sick and out of work, the kids are sick and it's really laying them out. Don't put off getting the shot.” </p><p>◆ </p><p>'NEED TO WORK TOGETHER': Marie Souther of Hendersonville is hoping the new year will bring prosperity to people who have been hurting financially for many years. “I hope that everyone is taken care of financially. I just hope the economy will get better and people will find jobs and keep their houses,” she says. “The president is going to have to make some changes, but they're already talking about a tax increase. It's easy for the president because he's not one of us. And members of Congress need to work together. A lot of the bills they work on are minor stuff. There are some major issues they need to tackle.” </p><p>◆ </p><p>QUIPS A WAG: “How is it one careless match can start a forest fire, but it takes a whole box to start a campfire?” </p><p>◆ </p><p>'HOLD ON THERE': Helen refused to grow old gracefully, so she went to the mall and bought some expensive cosmetics that came with a guarantee to make her look years younger. After a few mornings of applying the miracle products, she asked her husband, “Darling, if you didn't know me, how old would you say I am?” The hubby looked her over carefully and said, “Looking at your skin, I would say 20. According to your hair, maybe 18. And based on your figure, I would say around 23.” “Oh, you are a flatterer, for sure,” gushed Helen. “Hold on there, sweetheart,” he shot back. “I haven't added them up!” </p><p>◆ </p><p>LAST BUT NOT LEAST: Let's recycle those Christmas cards by sending them to St. Jude's Ranch for Children. The recycled cards will be sold to help continue work for abused, abandoned and neglected children. Send your cards to St. Jude's Ranch for Children, Recycled Card Program, 100 St. Jude's St., Boulder City, NV, 89005. All types of greeting cards, with the exception of those made by Hallmark, Disney and American Greetings, are used for the project. The St. Jude's recycled card project also needs birthday and thank-you cards. You can order recycled cards from St. Jude's either by phone at 877-977-7572 or by mail at St. Jude's Ranch for Children, ATTN: Donor Office, P.O. Box 60100, Boulder City, NV, 89006-0100. Cards are sold in packets of 10 for $10 and are available in the following categories: general Christmas, religious Christmas, Easter, birthday, thank-you and all-occasion greeting cards. </p><p>Reach Lou Parris at 828-694-7836 or molehills@blueridgenow.com.</p>